The present invention relates to a storage unit for installation in a vehicle such as a pickup truck, van, or sport utility vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,987 to Sturgis discloses a tool box assembly for use in the bed of a pickup truck. The tool box assembly is composed of a storage container 24 that is mounted to the bed of the pickup truck and a tool box 26 that is pivotally mounted to the storage container 24 about a vertical pivot axis. The storage container 24 has a door 32 that is movable between an open position and a closed position, and the tool box 26 has a plurality of drawers 134, 135.
As shown in FIG. 1 of the-Sturgis patent, the Sturgis tool box 26 is pivotable between a first position in which the tool box 26 is disposed within the storage container 24 and a second position in which the tool box 26 is disposed outside the storage container 24. When the tool box 26 is in the second position, the drawers 134, 135 of the tool box 26 may be pulled out of the tool box 26 in a direction towards the rear of the pickup truck.
The invention is directed to a vehicle mounted storage unit adapted to be mounted to a floor portion of a vehicle having a sidewall and a wheel well that extends outwardly from the sidewall by a first distance. The vehicle mounted storage unit includes a mounting bracket adapted to be fixed to the floor portion of the vehicle and a plurality of connecting members adapted to connect the mounting bracket to the floor portion of the vehicle at the mounting point. The mounting bracket has a width that is less than the first distance, and the mounting bracket is adapted to be fixed to the floor portion of the vehicle at a mounting point adjacent the sidewall of the vehicle and adjacent the wheel well of the vehicle.
The storage unit is provided with a cabinet that is attachable to the mounting bracket, with the cabinet being removable from the mounting bracket and having a width not greater than the first distance. The cabinet is adapted to be mounted adjacent the sidewall of the vehicle and adjacent the wheel well of the vehicle, with no portion of the cabinet extending beyond the wheel well of the vehicle. The storage unit is also provided with a quick-release mechanism that facilitates attachment of the cabinet to the mounting bracket and release of the cabinet from the mounting bracket.
The quick-release mechanism may be disposed within an interior portion of the cabinet, and the storage unit may also be provided with a door connected to the cabinet, with the door being movable between an open position in which the quick-release mechanism may be activated and a closed position in which the door prevents access to the quick-release mechanism. The storage unit is also provided with a lock associated with the door to lock the door in the closed position to prevent access to the quick-release mechanism.
The features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below.